30 Second Guide to: Antivenom

If you’re the outdoorsy sort, then you’ll be well aware of the fact that camping in thickly forested areas or swimming in coral reefs comes with its fair share of risks. But none are quite as deadly or terrifying as falling prey to a poisonous bite or sting from the innumerable venomous creatures in the wild. Not only can they be extremely painful experiences but they can also lead to death. Luckily for us, with the creation of antivenom, there is some hope after all.

Scientifically speaking, antivenom or antivenin is a biological product used in the treatment of venomous bites or stings. The name itself comes from the French word 'venin,' meaning venom, which in turn was derived from the Latin 'venenum,' meaning poison.

It is based on the concept of vaccines--developed by Edward Jenner--but with a slight twist. The difference is that in the case of vaccines, doctors try to induce immunity within the patient directly but in the case of antivenoms, the hyperimmunized serum from a host animal is transfused into the patient so as to produce quicker results.

So how is it made? Depending on the venomous animal involved, hunters go out on the prowl for them, catch them alive and then ‘milk’ them for their venom. This venom is then diluted so as to avoid actually harming any subject, and then administered to a host animal--mostly, horses, sheep and goats.

Naturally, all these animals go through their regular biological immune response to the venom and produce antibodies against it. These valuable antibodies are then collected and used to treat the envenomation.

There are, of course, several standards one must adhere to during this process, including some set by the WHO. Once they have passed all standards, most hospitals get a supply of these antivenoms depending on whatever venomous animals are typical to that particular area.

Antivenoms can be classified into monovalent (effective against only a specific species’ venom) and polyvalent (effective against a range of species). The first ever antivenom was developed for snakes by a French scientist of the Pasteur Institute named Albert Calmette in 1895. They are usually preserved in freeze-dried ampoules. However, many antivenoms are also available in liquid form and must be kept frozen.

Most commonly, antivenoms are available for snakes (cobras, rattlesnakes, sea snakes, black adders, etc) and a whole variety of spiders and scorpions. The total amount needed varies from person to person, depending on their size and a number of other physiological factors. The same applies to these antivenoms’ affects on humans. If administered in a timely manner, they work very effectively.

However, these antivenoms are not cheap. In fact, even calling them expensive would be an understatement! But their price is justified considering the lengths one has to go to in order to procure them. Scorpion antivenins have been known to cost as much as $12,497 a vial, while cobra antivenins cost close to $3500 a vial!